Garment closure



Sept 9, 1941 P. H. RoBBlNs' GARMENT CLOSURE Filed June l0, 1940 55 495gfz Patented Sept. 9, 1941 GARMENT CLOSURE Philip H. Robbins, New York,N. Y., assigner to Poirette Corsets, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application June 10, 1940, Serial No. 339,803

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment closure designed primarily for usein connection with the opening in the body of a tight fitting womensundergarment, such as corsets, brassieres and girdles, but it is to beunderstood that the closure in accordance with this invention is foremployment in any connection for which it may be found applicable.

The invention aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, agarment closure including means to greatly facilitate the wearer of thegarment closing the latter.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure including means to relieve the pulling action,by the wearer, upon the body of the garment when closing and opening thelatter.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure including an elastic element for facilitatingthe closing and opening of the garment with which the closure iscorrelated.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure including means to overcome the inconvenience,now present in closures of the class to which this invention relates onthe operation of the closure to and from closing relation with respectto the opening in the garment.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure of a form to eliminate the employment therewithof a protecting medium on its inner side for an inner garment or for thebody of the wearer when the inner garment is not worn.

The invention further aims to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure for enabling the wearer of the garment toquickly connect and disconnect the side walls of the garment openingwithout inconvenience. Y The invention further aimsl to provide, in amanner as hereinafter set forth, a garment closure of a form tomaterially reduce the force required of the pull on the garment by thewearer when opening and closing the garment.

The invention further aims toprovide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a garment closure which is simple in its construction andarrangement, strong, durable, compact, expeditiously and convenientlyoperated, thoroughly ecient in its use, readily installed with respectto the garment and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Embodying the aims aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear,the invention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts as will be more specifically described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variationsand modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.A

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a garment showingthe adaptation therewith of a closure in accordance with this-inventionand with the closure partly open,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the structure shownby Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 Figure l and with the closure ininactive position.

With reference to the drawing, 5 generally indicates the body of agarment, such by Way of' example as a corset. The body 5 has a verticalcutout to form an opening 6 to facilitate the positioning of the garmenton the wearer. The cutout opens at the top edge of body 5,' is closed atits lower end and is of a length materially less than the height of saidbody 5. The side or lengthwise edges of the opening 6 are indicated at8, 9. The opening 6 will be of the desired width.

The garment closure, in accordance with this invention, and which willbe hereinafter termed a closure structure includes a primary fastenermeans generally indicated at Ill and a secondary combined fastener andclosure means generally indicated at II. The means ID is in the form ofa pair of normally spaced oppositely disposed sections I2, I3, thesection l2 includes a set of spaced hooks M and the section I3 includesa set of spaced eyes l5 for correlation with the hooks I4 for detachablyconnecting the sections I2, Iii together in overlapping relation. lI'hemeans II is of the well known slide fastener type and includesoppositely disposed bendable members I6, I'! of tape-like form,voppositely disposed interengageable fastener elements I8, I8 carried bythe members It, II respectively and a slide 20 forl correlation with andcommon to the elements I8, I9 for detachably coupling the members I6, Ilto close the opening 6.

The section I2 includes a bendable fabric strip 2! bent upon itself toprovide front and rear spaced opposed folds 22, 23 respectively. Thefold 22 is of greater cross sectional length than the fold 23 and mergesinto an inwardly directed fold 24 bearing against the rear face thereof.The fold 23 merges into an inwardly directed the folds 23, 25 is abendable filler strip 28.

fold 25`which opposes in spaced relation the front face thereof. Thefold 24 Vis of greater cross sectional length than the fold 25 andextends outwardly from the latter. tween the folds 22, 23 and extendingbetween EX. tending Ybetweenthe folds 24, 25 at spaced intervals are theshanks 210i the hooks I4.V The` bills 28 of the hooks I4.extendrearwardly, op-` pose in spaced relation the bend 29 between the folds23,V 25 and overlap in spaced 'relation` the fold 25. The bills 28 ofthe hooks I4 are spaced inwardly ofthe bend v38 between the folds 23,24. The folds 23, 25, filler strip 28, Shanks `21 of the hooks I4 .andfolds 22, 24` are secured together by the stitching 3| disposedlengthwise of section I2. Thefolds 22, 24 are secured together, inproximity to bend 38 by' the stitchingV 32. The Vfolds v22, 23 andfiller stripV are secured together, in proximity to the bend 33 bytheostitching 38. VThe filler strip 28 Vabuts against, the inner facesof the bends Thesection I3 includes a bendable strip 35 bent upon itselfto form anangle-shaped front fold 38 and a fiat rearY fold 31. The fold36 merges into an inwardly directedfold V38 arranged against the Vrearface thereof. The section I3 also includes a nexible strip39 foldeduponitselfA to form a front fold 48 'and a rear fold 4I disposed in op-yposed relation. 'The folding ofthe strip 39Y is opposite with respect tothe folding ofthe strip 35, Thecross sectionalrlength of the folds 48,4I

is greater .than the cross sectional length of the folds 36, 31, 38.`The folds 48, 4I are oppositely disposed with respect to thefolds 36,31, 38. 'Arranged between the folds 48, 4I isa bendable filler strip 42.The fold 48 bears against the rearface of and extends outwardly from thefold 38. The fold 4i bears against the front face of and extendsoutwardly from the fold 31. *Arranged between the folds 38, 48 at spacedintervals'are the shanks 43 of the eyes I5. These latter projectoutwardly from the fold 38.` The folds 35, 38,

Shanksk 43 of the eyes I5, ller strip 42 and folds 48, VH are securedtogether by the stitching 44. The folds 36, 31. are secured together inproximity to Vthebend 45 by the stitching 46. The folds 48,

4I are secured together, in proximity to the bend 41 by the stitching48.

The elements or parts of the sections I2, I3 of the means I8 arenon-elastic.

The closure structure includes an oblong base member 49 in theform of anelastic fabric strip 58 of a widthv and length greater` than the widthand length of opening 8. The strip 58 is secured,

in proximity to its lengthwise edge 5I, to the body 5 Vby the stitching52 and in proximity to its bottomedge 53 it is also secured to body 5 bythe stitching 54. VThe member 49 constitutes a carrier for the sectionI3 of the meansV I8. The sec-` tion I3 is arranged against one side ofand secured to the front face'of strip 58 by the stitch` :ings V46 and48. The stitchings 48 and 48 cause bend 41. The stitching 48 is arrangedin .proximity to the bend 41. fold 58 forms the edge 5I of member 58.When section VI3 of the means I8 is secured to strip 58, the fold 31bears against'the frontface 59 of strip 58, aligns in spaced relationwith the folds 51, 58, and the fold 4I seats against the front faces ofthe folds 31, 51.

vThe 'flexible member I6 of the means II is interposed between the body5 and the sectionY I2 A of the means I8. The member I5 has a portionthereof disposed in outwardly directed relation Y with respect to theedge or wallY 1 of opening 6.

The member I5 is secured against theI inner face of body 5, in proximityto the said edge 1, by the stitching 6I; the latter also secures themember I5 to the folds 22 and 24 of section I2 of means I8. TheVstitching 32 secures the projecting portion of member I6 to the folds22, 24. The stitchings 32 and 34 secure the Vmember I6 to the section I2of the means I8. Y The bendable member I1 of the means II is securedagainst the fold 58 of the strip 58 and to the inner face of the body 5by the stitching 53, and it is further secured to the inner face of body5, in proximity to the edge or wall 8 ofv opening 6 by the stitching 82.The

Vmember' I1 has a portion disposed in Voutwardly Ydirected relation withrespect to the said edge 8.

The base member 49 above its lower edge is secured to the members I5, I1of the means II and to the sections I2, I3 vof the means I8 by atransverserrowof Ystitching 63.' The latter is arl ranged at the lowerends of the rows of fastener elements I8, I9 carried by the members I6,I1.

The material from which the base member 49 is formed is such Yas to haveavery smooth Ysoft rear facev which will not be of discomfort to thebody ofthe wearer or injure van inner garment if the latter is worn,under such conditions eliminating the necessity of using a protectingmedium on such rear face.

The closure structure as described includes Y flap is provided by thesection I3 of the means I I,

in connection with the base member 49. The manner of setting up the saidpair of iiaps provides whereby the said flaps v canl be initiallyreadily drawn together against a normal strain thereupon when thegarmentr is worn, for fastening the said hooks and eyes. structure asdescribed alsoY Yincludes a pair of overlying iiaps'arranged one Veach,over the said other aforesaid pair of flaps, said overlying flaps beingprovided by themembers I6, I1 each carrying. a complementary portion ofa slide type fastener andadapted when drawn together in closed position,to conceal said first mentioned pair of flaps What I claim is:

y 1. In a closure structure for an opening in the body of a garment, anelongated transversely elastic strip constituting a base member forextension across and for disposing rearwardly of the opening inthegarment, a primary fastener means outwardly of saidl member formed of afront and a rear inelastic section shiftable relative to each otheradapted to be normally dis-V posed in spaced overlapping relation andincluding correlated elements for detachably fastening said sections inoverlapping abutting relation to The bend relative to the.

The closureV close said opening when said sections are shiftedrelatively to each other, means for securing said inelastic rear sectionto a portion of said base member to form the latter with an inelasticpart and an elastic part, a secondary combined iastener and closuremeans arranged adjacent the said primary means and including a pair of0pposed interengageable fastener parts adapted for closing the openingin the garment in addition to and for concealing the said sections inoverlapping abutting relation, means for securing one of said parts ofsaid secondary means t0 said body adjacent an edge of the opening of thelatter, means for securing said one part to said front section, meansfor securing the other of said parts of said secondary means to saidbody in proximity to another edge of the opening in the body, and meansfor securing the inner side of the said other part of the elastic partof said base member and to said body.

2. In a closure structure for an opening in the body of a garment, anelongated transversely elastic strip constituting a base member having arear face with respect to the inner side of the garment and a front facewith respect to the outer side of the garment, said member for eX-tension across and for disposing inwardly of such opening and beingprovided with a pair of oppositely extending side folds one disposedagainst a part and the other against another part of said iront face,primary fastener means formed of a pair of non-elastic sectionsincluding correlated fastener elements for connecting said sectionstogether to close said opening, a secondary fastener means outwardly ofsaid primary means and including a pair of separate portions havingcorrelated means for connecting them together to conceal said primarymeans, spaced means respectively securing one of said sections againststill another portion of said front face and against the front face ofone side fold to form said member with an inelastic and an elastic part,means securing the other of said sections to one of said portions, meanssecuring the said one of said portions at one point thereof to said bodyin proximity to and in extended relation With respect to one edge ofsaid opening, means disposed in proximity to the other edge of saidopening for securing the other of said portions in extended relationwith respect to the said other edge of the opening, and means forsecuring the inner side of the said other portion to the garment, to theother fold, to said elastic part and against the outer face of the saidother fold.

PHILIP H. ROBBINS.

